John l



(No Model.)

J. L. GILMAN. SLIP, LABEL, CARD, OR LETTER FILE.

No. 460,862. Patented Oct. 6, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. GILMAN, OF DES MOINES, IOVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. A. T. HULL, OF SAME PLACE.

SLIP, LABEL, CARD, 0R LETTER FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,862, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed December 23,1890- Serial No. 375,557. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. GILMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Slip, Label, Card, or Letter File, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a receiving receptacle or case for containing labels, slips, letters, cards, files, the, within compartments, by which space may be economized, affording facilities for assortment and distribution, and also conveniently displaying the designation or symbol of the article within its compartment, as well as providing means by which the containing-receptacle may be conveniently carried about.

My invention has especial applicability to the containing and assortment of what are known in the postal service as slips, and I will therefore describe my invention with reference to the same. It will, however, be apparent that my invention may be applied to the containing and assortment of other articles.

My invention consists in a receiving-receptacle of convenient size and shape, which is divided within its interior into a multiplicity of pockets adapted to receive sets of slips having different designations thereon, said division being effected by the disposition, attachment, and bending of preferably a single length of wire, to be hereinafter particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an enlarged view of a section of one of the containing receptacles or cases, showing the arrangementof the pockets. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5 a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line no :r, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a view of the interior of a receptacle or case, showing the full size thereof. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the receptacle or case v closed. Fig. 6 is an end view showing a modification in form.

A and B, Fig. 4:, respectively designate the two parts of a containing case, receptacle, or box, which, as shown, are hinged together, and thus adapted to be closed, as shown in Fig. 5, having a handle C, by which the case may be conveniently carried from place to place. The pockets or racks for receiving and holding the sets of slips D are formed on each part of the case by means of a single length of wire, which is strung and secured to the interior of the case in the manner following: One end of the wire E may be secured at or within a kerf at a in the interior side edge E of one of the parts A and B, being from thence led to and passed through one of a series of eyelets or staples 0, arranged in line and fastened to the base-board of the case, there being two rows arranged in line, one on each side of the divisional partition EZand centrally located between the said divisionalpartition E and the opposite side edges E and E. After being passed through the first. of the series of eyelets a the wire is extended to and passes through the divisional partition E thus completing the first of the series of V-shaped racks, which, as will be seen, are successively formed on each side of said partition E The wire after being passed through said partition is again on the outer side thereof led to and passed through the first of the series of eyelets on that side of the partition and extended to and fastened within a kcrf in the side edge E being from thence led downward- 1y along the side of the case for the desired dis tance, passed through another kerf, and then through the next one of the series of eyelets a,th rough the divisional partition E through the second eyelet a of the series on the opposite side of said partition, the wire being then led to and fastened within a kerf in the side edge E this operation being continued until a series of these V-shaped racks are formed approximately for the whole length of the one side of the case, as shown in Fig. 4, being arranged in series on each side of the partition Having now in the further stringing of the wire to form these V-shaped racks arrived at the point I), Fig. 4C, and having completed said formation, I now proceed to form the transverse confining-racks as follows: Arranged in line and fastened to the divisional partition E is a series of eyelets (Z. I proceed with the same wire E, extending the same along the side edge E for a suitable distance, and then extend the same directly across the case, passing said wire first through the eyelet d and securing the same within a kerf in the side edge E The wire is then extended along said side edge for an equal distance, secured to a kerf, and then again extended-across said part of the case, this operation being repeated until the point of commencement of the V-shaped racks is reached. By this arrangement and disposition of the wire E pockets are formed adapted to receive the package of slips D, which, as shown, are held in such a position as to readily display their symbol or designation, and also permit of their ready seizure and the ready removal of one or more from the pocket.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that when the case is adj usted in a vertical position a series of receiving, shelves or pocket-s is provided, one above the other, adapted to receive and hold the sets of slips, permitting a compactarrangement, which in no wise conceals the distinctive designation of each bundle or set of slips.

The two parts of the case A and B being closed, as in Fig. 5, form a portable case adapted to be conveniently carried about.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that I provide an additional part H, hinged to the parts A and B, and provided also with these pockets, the said parts A and B being adapted to close about the said part II. It is also apparent that my invention is adapted for usev in railway offices, and may, in fact, be usefully and conveniently employed for many different purposes.

Each distinct receptacle thus constructed.

and combined witha case is composed of a V- shaped section of wire that is fastened at its three distinct points and inclined relative to the fiat surface to which the lower point is fixed, and another section of wire that connects the two upper points. A series of triangles are thus produced that overlap each other, and the spaces that intervene between these inclined triangles are the pockets or receptacles adapted to admit and retain papers. These overlapping receptacles, open at their tops and closed at their lower ends, are skeleton in form and consequently add very little weight to the case, and yet, on account of the cross-section of Wire at the top of each case, are admirably adapted for retaining papers in adjoining pockets or receptacles securely separated, and fiat and smooth in their inclined overlapping positions, and their top ends visible and readily accessible, as required, for removal by means of a persons fingers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is

1. In a label, card, or letter file, V-shaped wire sections fastened at their lower corners to theinside surface of a case and fastened at their two top corners to parallel strips of wood projecting from the same surface of the case, so that the V-shaped wire sections will extend in parallel planes relative to each other, but at an angle relative to the surface of the case to which theirlower pointed ends are fixed, and a section of wire connecting the top ends of each V-shaped section, for the purposes stated.

2. A series of V-shaped wire sections fixed to a fiat surface at their lower points and fixed at their two upper points to raisedsur-.

faces extending parallel with the said flat surface and central line to which their lower points are fixed, and cross-sections of wire connecting the two upper corners of the V shaped sections, composed of a single-wire and combined with a case having a flat surface and two parallelraised surfaces to produce pockets or receptacles adaptedto receive and retain slips of paper, labels, cards, and letters, in the manner set forth, for the purposes stated.

3. A label, card, and letter file comprising a board or flat plate having strips or raised surfaces extending parallel with each other and provided with kerfs or notches to admit a wire, and a wire fixed to the said flat surface at points midway between the two par-- allel raised surfaces, and also fixed in the kerfs or notches of the parallel raised surfaces to produce fixed triangular shaped overlapping forms and open pockets or receptacles, for the purposes stated.

JOHN L. GILMAN. Witnesses:

O. G. BULKLEY, THOMAS G. ORWIG. 

